A communications system includes a collection of interconnected devices. Often these devices communicate data using different protocols. For example, a remote that communicates data in a first protocol may attempt to access a host that communicates data in a second protocol. A protocol converter may be used to allow communications between the remote and the host.
As communications systems become larger and more complex to serve a variety of devices, protocol converters should adapt to service an ever-increasing number of communications protocols. Hardware-based protocol converters are difficult to adapt to service new protocols. Current software-based protocol converters often suffer from a lack of modular design, an inflexible and unreliable hardware/software interface, and an inability to adapt quickly and efficiently to new and changing communications protocols.